COSMOS-Mysuru Planetarium Opens with Tilted LED Dome

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the COSMOS-Mysuru Planetarium on 13 November 2026. It is on the University of Mysore campus, at the foothills of Chamundi Hills in Mysuru, Karnataka. The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) developed it in partnership with the University of Mysore.

Tilted LED dome technology

The 15-metre dome has about 6,150 LED panels containing more than 4.2 crore individual LEDs and delivers 8K-resolution visuals. Unlike traditional projector-based planetariums, the dome emits images directly, avoiding projector glare and producing deep blacks and crisp starfields. The facility is described as India’s first LED dome planetarium; accounts differ on whether it is the world’s first tilted commercial LED dome or among the first globally. Its system can also support live space simulations and dynamic displays of astronomical data.

Education and outreach

The planetarium is designed for astronomy education, research and training. It offers shows in Kannada, English and Hindi, and can visualise data from fields including geology, meteorology, oceanography, chemistry and biology. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the inauguration.

Important Facts for Exams

• Tilted-dome viewing: Tilting a planetarium dome 5–30 degrees from horizontal can improve viewing comfort, with an optimum viewing zone about a third of the way up.
• IIA institutional status: The Indian Institute of Astrophysics is an autonomous research institute under India’s Department of Science and Technology, rather than a university department.
• Hanle observatory: The Indian Institute of Astrophysics operates the Indian Astronomical Observatory at Hanle, Ladakh, where high-altitude conditions support optical and infrared astronomy.
• University of Mysore history: Founded in 1916, the University of Mysore was the first university established in Karnataka and the sixth in India.